SS&GF: Simply Sugar and Gluten Free

And now…on to something yummy!

Ice cream, sorbet, gelato, granite, ice…I love them all. You might call them my big weakness. There is something about frozen desserts that can absolutely bring me to my knees. Maybe it’s because I feel like I’m eating something bad for me, or maybe it’s because I love how the creamy, cold dessert melts in my mouth. Regardless, there is nothing as good as frozen desserts.

I can’t pass up all of the fresh, ripe watermelon at the markets now. I always end up with way more than I can eat. My first thought was to make into a frozen dessert, of course!

Traditionally granita is served as little ice flakes, almost the texture of large snowflakes. Stirring the mixture with a fork keeps the ice crystals broken up and from freezing in a hard layer. You can most certainly serve it like this. I prefer a smooth texture, which is why I pop it right into the food processor. This takes a little patience and faith the first time you try it, but keep the food processor running and scrape down as needed. You’ll end up with a smooth, creamy granita. Technically speaking, it’s no longer a granita. I don’t care. I like it better this way.

No ice cream freezer needed for this frozen treat. Best of all, it’s gluten-free, sugar-free, AND dairy-free. If you want another way to use some of your watermelon, stop by One Frugal Foodie for a Sweet Strawberry-Watermelon Soul Smoothie.

This post is part of What’s For Dinner Wednesday at Gluten-Free Homemake and Real Food Wednesday hosted this week by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

Printer-friendly recipe

Smooth Watermelon Granita
makes about 1 quart

1 (3) pound watermelon, preferably seedless
1 package unflavored gelatin
1 teaspoon cold water
3 tablespoon boiling water
juice from one lime
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Remove rind from watermelon. If using a seeded watermelon, remove seeds.

Soften gelatin in 1 teaspoon cold water. Set a kettle of water to boil and then add 3 tablespoons of boiling water to softened gelatin. Stir until dissolved. Let cool but do not let harden. It is best to dissolve the gelatin after peeling and chopping watermelon to prevent hardening.

Chop and puree watermelon. Puree should be about 3 cups. If there are still seeds in your watermelon, run the watermelon pulp through the large disk of a food mill. Whisk gelatin, lemon, agave, and salt into watermelon pulp. Put in a covered container and freeze, stirring every hour with a fork. This will create large ice crystals. Depending on the temperature of your freezer, this should take between 4 and 5 hours.

Take granita out of freezer 10 minutes and let it set on the counter to soften slightly. Place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth. Serve immediately, or put in the freezer for up to 20 minutes before serving. Any longer will make the granita too hard.